The Guide
Sat, 16 May 2026

Cities / Barcelona / International School of Catalunya (ISCAT)

International School of Catalunya (ISCAT)

British-curriculum school in La Garriga, ~40km north of Barcelona. IGCSE/A-Level. Distinct from SEK Catalunya (also La Garriga, IB).


Curriculum
British
Fees, annual
EUR 8–15k
Ages
3 to 18
Pupils
~700
Founded
2007

Fee Age Type Amount
Kindergarten 1-2 (ages 3-4) 3 Annual €8,190
Kindergarten 3 / Grades 1-5 (ages 5-10) 5 Annual €8,776
Grades 6-8 (ages 11-13) 11 Annual €9,945
Grades 9-10 (ages 14-15) 14 Annual €12,285
Grades 11-12 (ages 16-17) 16 Annual €15,209
Enrolment Fee (one-time, first year only) One-time €2,100

  • British curriculum primary and secondary in La Garriga, north of Barcelona, attracting Sant Cugat and Vallès families willing to commute for a small-school setting.
  • Online parent commentary is positive but thin: directory reviews highlight passionate staff, a kind atmosphere, native English-speaking teachers and strong communication with families.
  • Small cohort and personalised teaching are the most consistent draws; parents repeatedly describe children being known individually and tailored support across abilities.
  • Specific programmes that surface in parent feedback are the Forest School and Duke of Edinburgh, alongside the school's UNICEF Rights Respecting silver award.
  • Expat-school directories carry the bulk of the published reviews; independent forum debate and Mumsnet about ISCAT specifically is largely absent.

Head of school

Noreen Loughman

Noreen, together with Alan Roberts, founded the school in 2007 and has over 30 years experience in international schools in Spain, the Netherlands and Switzerland. She holds a Masters Degree from the United Kingdom in Primary Education, specifically in curriculum design and developmental psychology. At ISCAT, Noreen has brought together the best of her professional experiences abroad. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that when a child feels valued and recognised for what he or she can personally offer, they become fully open to the whole experience of learning, self-acceptance and self-esteem are raised, and consequently better decisions are taken in choosing their personal path through life. ISCAT’s values-based programme, balanced with personalised academic challenge, reflects this vision.


  • A Level results 2021 98% scored A* to C, with more than 30% achieving straight As or A stars in ALL their subjects!

Carrer Manuel Raspall, 8, 08530 La Garriga, Barcelona, Spain

School website